Monday, March 9, 2009

Fixing Fence

I've been thinking about the phrase of my title for the last few days. I was recently privy to some information that saddened me. Actually, to be completely honest, it REALLY hurt... I felt this horrible pain my chest/heart area. The funny thing about that pain is that the situation only had to do with me inasmuch as I was told about it! Nothing of it really related to me at all.

So what was the dish? Well, the actual content really isn't all that important. But I will tell you there was a handful of offense taken and a heavy dash of discord. They were stirred and simmered into a refusal to participate. And the fence needed fixing anyway.

The fence needed fixing... and I think SO many fences need fixing in life! Or... yet, in my opinion, let's knock those darn fences right down!

Our Ward Conference yesterday had the overarching theme of UNITY. It was such a wonderful meeting - even though I didn't get to pay attention to it without distraction (of course I couldn't with a 4 month old, 2 year old, and 4 year old!). But I did get to hear much of it.

I feel that to be unified we really can't have "fences" and/or "lines in the sand" that we build or draw. They really aren't necessary if we are to be as we're meant to be: UNITED. It makes me feel so sad when, not only do they exist, but we are, in effect, fortifying them and re-drawing them (respectively). It's sad and frustrating. And, I am not without flaw. I've had my own fences or lines. I think they are far fewer and I continue to work to knock them down and rub them out in my own life and psyche.

What would YOU do about it? What HAVE you done? I know it starts in our own mind, lives, families. Is there anything we can do in our community once we've got it squared away in our mind and home?